2022 NOVEMBER ~ Alamo Today & Danville Today News

FREE POP-UP SPACE MUSEUM INTRODUCES FAMILIES TO A YEAR-ROUND COMMUNITY RESOURCE

By Jody Morgan

On Veterans Day Weekend, November 11-13, the free pop-up Space Museum at the Veterans Memorial Building of the San Ramon Valley (VMBSRV) in downtown Danville beckons families to explore and honor our nation’s military history while being enter tained by costumed Star Wars reenactors and replica droids. Now celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the facility’s 2012 restoration, VMBSRV welcomes visitors on weekdays throughout the year with free docent tours of the collection of historical artifacts and military history books. An important com munity gathering place since opening in 1925, VMBSRV provides meeting space and services to San Ramon Valley veterans and seniors as well other organizations. Anyone passing along Hartz Avenue on Veterans Day Weekend will spot the helicop ter positioned outside VMBSRV. The “Huey” and the F-8 Crusader fighter jet cockpit from the USS Hornet are perennial family favorites at the Pop-Up Museum Open Houses cele brating Veterans Day in Danville. Completed in 1943 and finally decommissioned in 1970, the USS Hornet is permanently docked at Pier 3 in Alameda as a Smithsonian-affiliated Sea, Air and Space Museum.

This year’s Space theme beckons folks inside to enjoy exhibits highlighting Women in Space, scale models of American rocketry, Lego rockets, NASA exhibits, and items rep resenting the newly formed Space Force. Star Wars fans are in for a special treat. Costumed reenactors from the 501 st Legion will be mingling with visitors. But the actors may be upstaged by working droids provided by the Bay Area Droid Builders. The family-friendly event is open 9am-5pm Friday and Saturday, November 11 and 12, and Sunday, November 13 from 10am-3pm

The 501st Legion is an international organization dedicated to facilitating

FOOD DRIVE

NOVEMBER 19TH

The Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley is teaming team up with NBC Bay Area and Safeway Grocery Stores to help support the 22nd annual Food Drive.

On November 19th and with help from over 30 volunteers, including Key Club high schoolers, members of the National Charity League, Boys Team Charities, and friends/family, the Kiwanis Club will be encouraging shoppers to make a donation to the Food Bank at checkout. Safeway will have scannable tickets at every cash register, that will be for a $10 donation to the Food Bank of Contra Costa/Solano. Every donation will go directly to help provide food to our neighbors most in need this holiday season. Kiwanis will be matching donations made at the four Safeway locations in the San Ramon Valley, up to $1,000 per store.

“While the world is getting closer to normal, people are still hungry and need extra help, especially with the holidays coming up,” says Nancy Bray, Chair of the Kiwanis 2022 Food Drive.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Founded in 1915 in Detroit and with headquarters now in Indianapolis, Kiwanis International is a thriving organization of service and community minded individuals who support children and young adults around the world.

For more information, visit www.srvkiwanis.org , or contact Nick Vrankovich at 925-389-6092.

ONE WARM COAT & TOGETHER WE GIVE

For the 27th year, Rotary Club of San Ramon Valley will hold their One Warm Coat drive. Please clean out your closets, and gather gently used, new, and clean, coats, sweaters, blankets, hats, and gloves of all sizes. Donations will benefit those in need in the East Bay and outreach charities such as Christmas for Everyone in Martinez, Loaves & Fishes in Pittsburg, Salvation Army in Antioch, and seniors and homeless at ECAP in Emeryville.

Drop-off bins are located throughout the community and will be in place through November 30th. In Alamo, locations include Round Hill Country Club (3169 Roundhill Rd.) and a private home (172 Via Serena). In Danville, drop off at Monte Vista High School (3131 Stone Valley Rd.), Peet’s Coffee (435 Railroad Ave.),

Bay Area Droid Builders are bringing authentic Star Wars droids to VMBSRV.

The chance to step inside a fighter jet cockpit is irresistible for pop-up museum visitors.

The Veterans Memorial

BOULEVARD VIEW By Alisa Corstorphine, Editor and Publisher

I’m a big fan of social media. I’m not interested in the latest gossip or to be pitched new products, but to connect with friends, support others, rally for a cause, and for learning and sharing. Just like any tool, it can be used for good or bad.

We all have a choice when we participate in social media platforms such as NextDoor, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. We can choose to engage thoughtfully, contribute, and share, or, on a heated topic, go down a rabbit hole, get spun up, and perhaps argumentative. I often catch myself in a “charged” post and ask if it’s smart to engage or is it better to walk away from the discussion. Knowing where to draw that line is key.

Many folks have given up certain social media platforms after feeling verbally attacked for their belief or position. Sometimes it is easy to attack from behind a keyboard; however, in a local online community group, there is a good chance someone will know you in the flesh and prudence is warranted.

I use the social media platforms to get recommendations for services and information on hobbies such as gardening, cooking, pet care, and laser crafting. I also use them to share items, giving excess produce and plants, and lightening my possessions by purging them through Facebook Buy Nothing and Marketplace groups, and NextDoor For Sale and Free groups. Just like any venue, scams can and do occur, and caution is always advised.

A couple times I have used social media group knowledge for collective wisdom on sleuthing an old photograph. The expression “two heads are better than one” definitely applies to a sleuth! With hundreds or thousands of folks (depending on the forum I use) I am able to get great ideas and broader insights.

I also learn a lot of history through social media forums. An Alamo resident treated his local NextDoor community to “Italian Heritage Month” during October where he shared posts of famous Italians. Local history sites on Facebook, such as “680/24 History,” “Remembering Alamo,” and “If you grew up in Danville, CA Between the 50s and 90s,” bring me back decades.

Social media is about connections. I have made many true friends I have met through the plat forms, often meeting them in person after getting to know them online. I have also reconnected with past classmates and co-workers who share ties and bonds to our collective past.

The next couple months are a social time for many, filled with holidays and gatherings. These events are all about connections. Whether the gatherings be with extended family, neighborhood groups, clubs and organizations, or even virtual when we can’t physically be there, they bring us together. It is also an important time to remember and reach out to those who may not be able to attend a gathering or to someone who has lost many of their social connections. Extending an invitation to others is always welcomed.

Social media can be much like the dynamics at family holiday gatherings where we don’t all share the same beliefs, however, we find ways to make the relationships work. To get along har moniously and to share without drama, I feel, is something worth striving for.

May your gatherings be full of joy and peace. Happy Thanksgiving!

CHROMATICA BRINGS CONCERTS WITH MUSIC FROM STAGE AND SCREEN

Chromatica is bringing an eclectic program of music from stage and screen to upcoming concerts which will take place on Saturday, November 12th, at 7pm at Peace Lutheran Church, 3201 Camino Tassajara, Danville, and on Sunday, November 13th, at 3pm at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church, 433 Moraga Way in Orinda. The Peace Lutheran concert in Danville will feature the return of the popular, and free, wine reception after the performance.

From Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” to Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Gondoliers,” from Sondheim’s wide stage repertoire that included “Into the Woods,” and “Merrily We Roll Along,” to the more contemporary “Rent” by Jonathan Larson (with help from Puccini) and the hugely successful “Hamilton” by Lin-Manuel Miranda these works include some of the best music ever written for the stage. Add to these “The Bartered Bride” from Smetana, Bernstein’s “Candide,” and Romberg’s famous “Drinking Song,” and more, and Chromatica gets to sing all of this in concert!

Chromatica was founded in 2011 and now includes 26 men and women singers. Led by David P. Huff, an outstanding director and operatic tenor, and accompanied by the exceptional pianist and assistant director, Julie Rieth, it seeks to perform challenging pieces at a high level of professionalism.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for students, and children 10 and under are admitted free. For tickets and to find out more about Chromatica, visit at www. chromaticachorale.org. Tickets for all concerts are also available at the door. For a more personal look you can find Chromatica on Facebook.

CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL IS BACK!

After a three-year hiatus, the California Independent Film Festival (CAIFF) returns to the Orinda Theatre on Thursday, November 10th. One of the most important parts of a film festival is people coming together in person to celebrate the art of filmmaking, states CAIFF Executive Director, Leonard Pirkle.

The opening night film, Last Film Show, from India was just announced as India’s submission to the 2023 Academy Awards. People in the Bay Area will be able to see this amazing film, first on Thursday, November 10th at the historic Orinda Theatre. Another film that will be screening is A Man of Integrity, directed by Mohammad Rasoulof. It is a film that is timely and of international importance.

Also at the Orinda Theatre, Barrie Chase will receive the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award on Saturday, November 12th at 7PM followed by a screening of comedy classic, It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, World, and on Monday, November 14th at 7PM, festival-goers will be singing and dancing in the aisle while watching Grease on the big screen. Director Randal Kleiser and actor Barry Pearl will be attending and holding a Q &A session after the movie.

Other festival highlights include free family movies including Cat’s Don’t Dance (1997) on Saturday November 12th at 10 AM, and on Sunday, November 13th at 10 AM the Danny Kaye classic film The Court Jester will be playing. For more information, visit www.caiff.org.

SAN RAMON VALLEY SKI & SNOWBOARD RETURNS!

SAVE THE DATE - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17TH FROM 9

On Saturday, December 17th, the San Ramon Valley High School (SRVHS) Ski & Snowboard Swap returns to the SRVHS Commons (next to the Performing Arts Center). The Swap is hosted by the SRVHS Instrumental Music Program. It is a great place to outfit your family with winter gear for skiing and snowboarding. You will find a huge selection of top-brand new and used skis, boards, boots, poles, helmets, goggles, and apparel in adult and children's sizes, along with expert advice to make sure you get just the right fit. Items will be 1/4 to 1/2 off original prices.

If you have gently used equipment or outerwear that your family has outgrown or no longer needs, you can donate it to the swap. Funds raised will help fund the instrumental music depart ment. Donations are tax deductible. Visit www.srvskiswap.com to donate or for more details. Admission is $5 per person and free to children 5 and under with an adult.

My mother, Angela Horine, preparing a late 60s-era Thanksgiving feast.

CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS EVENING

The 22nd annual Celebration of Christmas is returning and continuing the holiday tradition with performances by high school choirs from the San Ramon Valley.

Established in 1995 by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Danville, the intention of the Cele bration of Christmas is to bring the community together to sing and listen to wonderful Christmas carols.

The first year included various local choirs as well as choirs from Monte Vista and San Ramon Valley High Schools. Later, the California High School Choir joined the celebration, and, most recently, the Dougherty Valley High School Choir began participating. The choirs perform individually, and performances are interspersed with sing-alongs and special guests. It is an evening of musical merriment!

Mark your calendar to join this free holiday gathering on Sunday, December 11th at 7PM. The Celebration of Christmas will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints located at 655 Old Orchard Dr, in Danville.

CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS IN THE VALLEY AT THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN RAMON VALLEY

In the spirit of the holiday season, the Museum of the San Ramon Valley will be opening a new exhibit titled, “Holidays in the Valley.” The exhibit is a celebration of trains, toys, dolls, and the many cultures of our area. Holidays in the Valley will open on November 25th and will close on January 8th

The main exhibit area will have a wonderful model train featuring the G Scale Christmas train. These large model trains are exciting for young and old alike. A large beautifully decorated Christmas tree and lots of other holiday decorations will also fill the room.

In addition, the museum will be celebrating the classic toys that were elected to the Toy Hall of Fame including, Lite-Brite, Bryer horses, Pound Puppies, Nerf, and the spinning top to name a few. These toys will bring back great memories for all.

A photo collection of dolls from around the world will highlight the many cultures that make up the San Ramon Valley. Take a moment and look at the pictures of dolls representing the countries and cultures they are from.

Children will enjoy a playhouse for them to have fun in, and it is also a great photo opportunity. Young visitors will also have a spot to write letters to Santa that are guaranteed to be delivered to the North Pole.

Before you leave Holidays in the Valley, take a moment and visit the memory tree. This is an opportunity to write down your “Most Exciting Holiday Time,” and spread the holiday spirit.

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 1PM-4PM, Saturday 10AM-1PM, and Sunday noon-3PM. For more information, visit museumsrv.org or call 925-837-3750.

HOSPICE TREE OF LIGHTS

Hospice East Bay (HEB) has been caring for patients and their families in our community since 1977. They are proud to be celebrating their 36th annual Tree of Lights. The Tree of Lights ceremonies set aside time for families and friends to honor their loved ones through the symbolism of light and the reading of names. Many Tree of Lights ceremonies will take place. The nearest will be held in:

• Alamo ~ Tuesday, November 22nd, 5:30PM

• Blackhawk ~ Friday, December 9th, 5PM

• Danville ~ Friday, November 18th, 5:30PM

• Walnut Creek ~ Monday, December 5th, 6PM For addresses and other ceremony sites, visit https://tinyurl.com/2oe5u5wx. Funds raised by these events help HEB provide hospice and palliative care services to everyone in our communities, regardless of their ability to pay. Through your gifts, HEB also offers additional supportive services and programs, such as music therapy and children’s grief programs, which are not covered by insurance.

For questions, contact Ann Mimiaga at 925-8875678, 925-499-6642, or annm@hospiceeastbay.org

WHITE PONY EXPRESS “STAR PROGRAM”

White Pony Express (WPE) is launching their third annual “Star Program” with the help of local businesses. This unique holiday program uplifts lives throughout the county during a season where warmth is meant to be shared! Each star is hand-decorated and lists a specific item needed by an adult or child experiencing challenges. Your business can display the stars in any creative way you choose. Your clients and friends can select a star and purchase the item listed on the star. White Pony Express will schedule a time to pick up the gifts which will be beautifully wrapped and then delivered with love to our neighbors in need. In this way, we can all make the holiday season sparkle a little brighter! To request your Star Program Kit, contact Mandy at mandy@whiteponyexpress.org, or call 925-322-0604, option 4.

All of us taking care of all of us! Learn more about WPE at www. whiteponyexpress.org

DANVILLE COMMUNITY BAND “CHRISTMAS PARTY!”

The Danville Community Band presents this year’s annual holiday concert: “Christmas Party!” Fol lowing a successful first concert at Rossmoor, the band is ready to bring their music to you.

Join the free performance at 3 pm on Saturday, December 17 th in the Performing Arts Center at San Ramon Valley High School, located at 501 Danville Blvd. in Danville.

This year’s program features a fun selection of many festive tunes in cluding “Secret Agent Santa,” “Mary's Boy Child,” “The Eighth Candle,” and ending with the ever-popular “Sleigh Ride!”

Donations are gratefully accepted. Face coverings are suggested.

For more about the band and upcoming performances, visit www.danvil leband.org, and ‘like’ the Danville Community Band on Facebook.

TOWN OF CANYON,

Many residents of the East Bay have heard of the town of Canyon, but few know where this neighboring community is located, or anything about its rich history. Join the Museum of the San Ramon Valley’s free virtual program on Thursday, November 17th at 11:30AM to learn about the history of Canyon.

Telling the story of Canyon will be Liam O’Donoghue the host and producer of the “East Bay Yesterday” podcast and co-creator of the Long Lost Oakland map. Liam also writes a monthly column about the East Bay for SF Gate. Liam has done a three-part podcast on Canyon.

The community of Canyon has a colorful history. Starting with logging camps and saloons in the nineteenth century that gave it a rowdy and colorful reputation. The twentieth century saw much of the land become part of the East Bay Municipal Utility District, and the community’s fight against development. The logging camps and saloons are gone but Canyon has kept its free and independent spirit with its unique homes nestled among the redwoods. Learn all about this most interest ing community.

To attend this free online presentation, visit www. museumsrv.org and go to the “Events” section or call 925 837-3750.

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 1PM-4PM, Saturday 10AM-1PM, and Sunday noon-3PM. For more information, visit museumsrv.org or call 925-837-3750.

DANVILLE WOMEN’S CLUB

Please join the members of the GFWC Danville Women’s Club on Thursday, November 17th to hear guest speaker, Alison Bakewell. Alison will discuss how the Cake4Kids orga nization delivers free birthday cakes for under-served youth, ages 1-24, who otherwise might not receive a birthday treat. The talk will be held at the Clubhouse located at 242 West Linda Mesa in Danville.

Lunch is free for first-timers. The event begins with socializing at 11AM, speaker at 11:30AM, and lunch at noon. You are also welcome to stay for the 1PM business meeting to learn more about the Danville Women’s Club.

Please RSVP by November 11th. For questions, please call 925-837-1165.

JEWELRY FUNDRAISER FAIRE

The Alamo Women’s Club (AWC) will be hosting a Jewelry Fundraiser Faire to benefit Club scholarships as well as projects to support the community on Friday, November 18th from 10AM-5PM and Saturday, November 19th from 10AM-4PM Some lovely new jewelry has just arrived.

A huge inventory of designer jewelry will be 50% off and beautiful costume jewelry can be had starting at just $5.

The Club is located at 1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo. Please come and shop!

MONTE VISTA HIGH

By Dr. Kevin Ahern, Principal

Monte Vista’s (MV) students and staff have continued to accomplish amazing things as we move through our fall semester. There is so much happening at this time that it will be difficult to fit everything into this article!

I will, however, begin on a serious note where MV experienced two incidents involving antisemitic graffiti. These incidents run against everything we stand for as a community and our students and staff are both outraged and frustrated by them. MV’s affinity leaders and administration were able to connect with the leaders of our Jewish Student Union and reemphasize our support. Our students also pledged to create and present a school-wide lesson to address and discuss these recent incidents with their peers. I am proud of our students in the way they stand up for each other and work together to build a strong and supportive school community.

MV’s Homecoming Week was once again an incredible success. Months of planning culminated in a fantastic weekend that kicked off with the induction of the second class of alums into the MV Athletics Hall of Fame. The event was held at Round Hill Country Club and a huge crowd turned out to celebrate the inductees. The following evening, the pre-game Homecoming festivities included a commu nity tailgate party, a carnival, and a visit by MV’s classes of 1970, 1971, and 1972 as well as several of the Hall of Fame inductees. The evening ended with a big win over Amador Valley. The next evening followed with an equally spectacular Home coming Dance. There are many people to thank for putting together this series of incredible events. I would like to thank MV Activities Director, Tommy Greenless; MV Athletic Director, Andy Popper; MV Athletic Booster President, Bridgit Pelley and the entire Boosters Group, and all our parent volunteers and organizations who contributed their time and energy to make this all take place. Finally, I want to thank MV students for coming together to make Homecoming 2022 a special event. Whether you are on the football team, in the band, in cheer/pom, in leadership, or just came to enjoy the events, you made our Homecoming amazing!

MV’s Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) department has also been busy over the past few weeks. MV’s Drama department did double-duty in presenting their annual Haunted House which is being followed by an amazing performance of the play “The Girl in the Mirror” the first week of November. MV’s Marching Band kicked off its season in late October as well and is looking forward to more accolades as their season progresses. November and December will host more VAPA performances on our campus, so please check the MV website (mvhs. srvusd.net) for tickets, times, and more information.

MV Athletics have continued to roll through EBAL competition and into the NCS Playoffs. MV’s undefeated Women’s Golf team claimed their EBAL crown with a dominant performance at the EBAL finals. MV Women’s Volleyball and Women’s Tennis are aiming for similar outcomes as they close out their seasons atop the EBAL standings. MV Men’s and Women’s Cross-Country teams are also pursuing their own EBAL title hopes and MV Men’s and Women’s Water Polo are prepping for their regular season finales and NCS playoff berths. Finally, MV Football’s young team is working hard to finish strong against tough EBAL Mountain Division competition. In addition to all of this, MV’s Winter Sports just started their seasons which means that much more will be happening on our campus. We invite everyone from the MV community to come out and support the Mustangs. Our students are doing amazing things – please help us celebrate our success!

ORATORICAL CONTEST FOR STUDENTS

The Oratorical Contest is a time-honored constitutional speech contest annually sponsored by the American Legion. Established in 1938, the contest provides high school students with an opportunity to develop a deeper knowledge, appreciation, and understanding of the duties, responsibilities, rights, and privileges of American citizenship and the U.S. Constitution.

Interested high school students of the San Ramon Valley Unified School District, private schools, and home school students who live in San Ramon, Danville, or Alamo, may notify the American Legion Mt. Diablo Post 246 of their interest in participating via e-mail to commanderpost246@gmail.com or postal mail at Mt Diablo Post 246, P.O. Box 133, Danville, CA 94526, not later than December 31, 2022. Include student name, school name, grade, and contact information.

Participants have the opportunity to develop their public speaking skills and win college scholarships. For more information, visit www.legion.org/ oratorical/about or contact Neil Giles at 925-272-8480.

NCL MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

The National Charity League’s (NCL) mission is to foster community service while supporting mother-daughter bonds and developing leadership skills and an appreciation for cultural traditions. The Rolling Hills chapter is now recruiting interested mothers and daughters in the San Ramon Valley school district who are interested in strengthening their bonds through philanthropic work, cultural experiences, and leadership building. There are 222 members spanning from 7th grade through 12th grade. Rolling Hills is taking applications for the classes of 2026 through 2029. Applications are accepted from November 1, 2022, through January 15, 2023. Once the completed membership application has been received, applicants will be invited to attend the prospective members meeting on January 12, 2023. The Membership Inquiry Form can be found at https://tinyurl.com/3m6avcys. For general membership questions, email rhnclmembership@gmail.com

Hippie Vibe Tribe Chic Boutique

GATTI REPORT: YOUR GREATER DANVILLE AREA REAL ESTATE UPDATE

By Joe Gatti

Around the time you receive this newspaper, the Federal Reserve will be making their next decision on how best to combat the persistent problem of inflation within the US economy. The prevailing view is that, at the November 1 st meeting, they will raise their base interest rate once again, .75 basis points. Such a raise would be the fourth consecutive of that size and the sixth overall in 2022. The two areas that “inflation fighting” has hit the hardest have been the stock market and home loans. The average interest rate for a 30 year fixed mortgage, at the time of this writing, reached 7.04%.* Mortgage rates have more than doubled in the last eight months, which has obviously lessened buyer affordability and demand. What we are seeing from these higher rates is a large discrepancy between active listing prices and the prices that follow when a property goes pending, and finally closes escrow. Showing that our local market, like the majority of communities in the United States, is going through a process of price normalizing that will continue into 2023.

On October 19th, there were 174 detached properties active within the greater Danville area, which includes Alamo, Blackhawk, Danville, Diablo, and San Ramon. The median price for these active properties was $2,238,000.** Properties categorized as pending, on this same day, totaled 86. So, the number of active properties on the market were more than double the amount of properties in contract. The median price of the 86 detached properties equaled $1,899,475! A $338,525 price difference when comparing median prices of active and pending properties, showing that in order for an active property to go pending it needs to be priced correctly at the outset or its price needs to be adjusted over time to account for how higher interest rates have altered buyer outlook and affordability in the short time window of the past eight months.

When we look at sold properties, the story is similar. From September 19th to October 19th, 102 properties closed escrow. During the exact same period last year, 168 total detached properties sold. Sixty-six fewer properties sold during the same time this year! Showing that interest rates have temporarily and significantly restricted buyer demand, an outcome the Federal Reserve told us they wanted to achieve. The median sold price between mid-September and mid-October 2021 was $1,950,000, while the median sold price now is $1,875,000.** An overall 3.8% price decline year-overyear. What we see from this data is that the Federal Reserve’s rate increases are now visible in our local market. It will take time for other areas of the economy to see similar changes but once it does, and it will in the next six months, inflation is expected to begin receding in a meaningful way and interest rates will stabilize and likely lessen. All else equal, home prices are at a similar level now to what they were one year ago. The market char acteristics are different. If you have questions on the value of your home during this period of changing interest rates, please reach out for a private consultation. Our services, and daily first hand experience in our local real estate market will help price your home correctly, so you can make the best decision regarding your future!

I hope you found this article helpful. I’ve been serving our real estate community for 10 years. Ron Gatti, my business partner and father, has been a full-time real estate professional for over 40 years, all in the greater Danville area. We both are Associate Brokers with Compass out of the 15 Railroad office in downtown Danville. If you have any real estate questions during this extraordinary time or have questions about this article, please email GattiRealEstate@gmail.com or call Joe Gatti at 925-588-3590. Our services are here for you!

*https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/mortgage-rates/, October 20, 2022. **Data taken from the MLS during specific dates and under the criteria mentioned within the article.

SAN RAMON VALLEY CHRISTIAN

DAW-AAUW PRESENTS

TITLE IX: FAST FORWARD 50 YEARS

By Jamie Westgate, Principal Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Taking time to slow down, acknowledge, and celebrate our blessings in the presence of family and friends is the highlight of my year. After three very challenging years in a pandemic, we likely all feel a bit more grateful for some sense of “normal.” School is back to normal. Restaurants are able to host a more normal capacity of patrons. Even movie theaters are back to normal, allowing us all a couple hours of escape with some visual entertainment. My gratitude list is much longer and filled with simple things.

ACADEMY

One of the things I’m most thankful for at SRVCA is our Veterans Day chapel. This year, we look forward to this special event to be held on Thursday, November 10th. Ahead of time, students submit photos of parents, grandparents, and relatives who have served our country in the armed forces. We have tasked our 8th graders to interview a veteran, capturing not just experience but also a deep level of patriotism. We care deeply about instilling a heart of gratitude for those who protect our country where we are free to express our faith. Many might argue that our nation is divided on a number of issues, but we can be thankful that we are united in our efforts to support those who have been supporting us.

Along with those in the military, I am grateful for the first responders and essential workers who served our community during the Covid-19 pandemic. This special group modeled for the rest of us what it means to love one another above ourselves.

Finally, I am tremendously grateful for our teachers and staff members who tirelessly served SRVCA during a very unpredictable and challenging season. Never have I observed such a deep level of commitment from our faculty. I thank God for each one of them for going the extra mile to keep our doors open, to provide a safe classroom for their students, and for loving each child as if he/she were their own. This Thanksgiving, my heart is filled with many reasons to be thankful, but these special people are at the top of my list.

SRVHS CLASSES OF 1961-1963 EXHIBIT

Come to the closing days of the “High School Reunion: 1961, 1962, 1963” exhibit featuring the Wolves of San Ramon Valley High School (SRVHS). The exhibit will end November 13th There are photographs and memorabilia from school alums, including letter jackets and a majorette’s baton. Wolf Print newspapers will remind visitors about school activities. The school annuals, called El Lobo, will be featured. And, an original Woodstock poster and other sixties posters will be displayed. Step back 60 years to review life at the valley’s first (and, at the time, only) high school. The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is located at 205 Railroad Ave. in Danville. Hours are Tuesday-Friday 1PM-4PM, Saturday 10AM-1PM, and Sunday noon-3PM. For more information, visit museumsrv.org or call 925-837-3750.

ADAS PRESENTS ARTIST JOHN HOPPER

The Alamo Danville Artists’s Society (ADAS) presents artist John Hopper on Tuesday, November 8th at 7:30pm

The meeting and presentation will take place at the Alamo Women’s Club, 1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo.

John has won scholarships and awards for his paint ings. He conducts watercolor classes on the Queen Mary2 and on Queen Elizabeth cruises for Cunard Lines. He is an instructor at Rossmoor and has “Watercolor Just for the FUN of it” classes (and a book with the same title) on a continuing schedule. For more information, visit www. jw-hopper.com/About.htm or adas4art.org

Join the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Danville-Alamo-Walnut Creek (DAW) branch for an informative free presentation by speaker, Allison Kern, Director of Athletics, Cal State East Bay. Allison has been both a student athlete as well as a university leader. Come learn about the impact of Title IX on women’s athletics in our local universities. The presentation will take place on Thursday, November 17th from 6-8PM at the Greenbrook Clubhouse located at 300 Greenbrook Drive in Danville.

In August 2021, Allison was named Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics at Cal State East Bay. She leads the Pioneers’ 15 intercollegiate athletics programs, which consist of more than 230 student-athletes competing in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference (PCSC), and Western Water Polo Association (WWPA).

For more details, visit https://daw-ca.aauw.net/2022nov

CATCH UP ON SOME “Z s ” HALLOWEEN!

By Jaime Kaiman, Monte Vista High, Senior

The season of haunts and frights has arrived! Halloween decorations have been unpacked from the depths of the holiday closet, scary movies are bringing people to theaters, and costumes from witch hats to inflatable dinosaur suits have been purchased. Halloween is one of the most fun times of the year, and there are many fun traditions that go along with the holiday that truly make it spooktacular.

Decorating for Halloween is a blast. I love seeing how different houses in my neighborhood each diversify their homes with their haunting decora tions. When I was younger I made the spookiest ghost decor! I took a white napkin, filled it with a bunch of pebbles, and tied the middle of the napkin with a ribbon. It was a cute, tiny ghost that could float (with the help of the ribbon, of course) around under tree branches. Those were sweet and all, but I also remember being extremely jealous of the houses with the huge inflatables. It’s a known fact that houses with decorations like that have the best candy to give out.

Now that I’m older, I’ve grown out of trick-or-treating. I still manage to find a way to eat a huge load of candy, though. In recent years, I’ve gotten together with my close friends on Halloween. We meet all dressed up in our costumes, and have a laid back night. This year, I am going to be encourag ing my friends to watch a scary movie with me. Horror movies have to be one of my favorite genres of movies. Recently, I watched the movie Smile in theaters, and let-me-tell-you the movie is not for the faint of heart. I quite literally jumped in my seat because of how horrifying certain scenes were. The best part about horror movies is trying to dissect a meaning from them. On the surface, the purpose of the movies seem pretty straight forward: scare the person watching! This is true for a few scary movies, but many usually represent something greater than just gore and terrifying monsters. My friend and I recently also saw the movie Barbarian. That movie was petrifying, but I also was able to understand the commentary they were making about real-life in the movie. I recommend seeing both Smile and Barbarian to watch on Halloween, however, you really can’t go wrong with a classic like The Shining or Nightmare on Elm Street, too!

There are many festive ways to celebrate Halloween. Everyone has different traditions, whether it be going to parties or trading candy, that make the holiday enjoyable each year. Have a great Halloween!

ASSISTANCE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIPS APPLICATIONS FOR 2023-24

Since 1999, Assistance League® of Diablo Valley’s Scholarships Program has provided financial and emotional support to Contra Costa residents who are high school, community college, and university students as well as returnees to the academic community. In 2022, $206,000 was awarded to 53 honorees, each of whom expressed a desire to advance through education by maintaining a desig nated grade point average, volunteering in campus and community projects, and charting an academic timeline. Student scholarships for 2023-24 are now available for graduating high school seniors applying to four-year colleges/universities, community college students transferring with junior-level status to four-year colleges/universities, and to current and former foster youth applying to four-year colleges/universities, community colleges, or vocational training programs. A Return to School scholarship is also available. A fill-in enabled application form will be provided for each scholarship. To learn more, please visit assistanceleague.org/diablo-valley, and press the “Scholarship Applications” command at the top, center of the screen.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OPENS 1964 TIME CAPSULE, & CONTRIBUTES TO NEW CAPSULE

By County Supervisor Candace Andersen

During the October 4 th Board of Supervisors meeting, the Supervisors opened a time capsule from September 26, 1964. The time capsule had been placed in the old County Administration building in Martinez, which is currently being demolished. Eric Angstadt, Chief Assistant County Administrator, gave a description of each item as he pulled them out of the capsule. Included in the historical information were “current happenings” in Contra Costa County. There were several photos of county staff members, instructions on how to use the new “push-button phone,” and the county annual report from 1964. Other items included a photo of the first Contra Costa Courthouse, built in 1855 and demolished in 1903, and a special edition dedication of the Administration Building published in the Morning News-Gazette on September 25, 1964. Also included were many more photos and memorabilia, along with the dedication program for the then new County Administration building at 651 Pine Street. Construction on the building was completed in 1964 and served the County well for over 55 years. When the costs to improve and maintain the building grew too high, the decision was made to build the new County Administration building, located across the street at 1025 Escobar Street.

For the 2022-time capsule, each Supervisor donated special items from their district. Supervisor Andersen and District 2 had each city or town, Danville, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, and San Ramon write letters to future residents about current issues. Each unincorporated area of District 2 also contribut ed meaningful items. Alamo included a photo of their Municipal Advisory Council and Blackhawk included their Homeowners Association newsletter, the Blackhawk Bulletin, as well as a Blackhawk Sheriff badge. Diablo added their community newsletter, the Devil’s Advocate. A PowerPoint presentation about the current County and District 2 issues was also included.

In District 1, Supervisor John Gioia wrote a letter to future residents and included several items including: a CD about the Contra Costa Historical Society, a COVID home test kit, an N-95 mask, a San Francisco Bay Trail Map, and a t-shirt from a recent Coastal Clean-Up Day.

District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis included a letter addressing the current state of her District, the County, and the world, background on District 3 and far east County, and the priorities and issues in 2022. She also included a biography, a photo with her staff, and information on each of the cities and unincorporated areas in her District.

In District 4, Supervisor Karen Mitchoff included a letter highlighting the significant impacts of the pandemic, and major issues affecting Contra Costa County and the Delta including transportation, housing, and public service. All cities provided letters, Clayton provided a pen, and Pleasant Hill provided a stamp from this year’s library opening.

Lastly, in District 5, Supervisor Federal Glover included items related to himself, as the first African American Supervisor. He also included pins from each of the cities in District 5, brochures, information on the widening of Highway 4, BART coming into the County system, and e-BART, among other items.

The time capsule will be buried at the new County Administration Building and scheduled to be opened in 2072.

The Contra Costa County Historical Society has done an inventory of all of the 1964 time capsule items. To see all of the items the Board of Supervisors placed in the new time capsule, and opened from the 58-year-old time capsule, visit www.contracosta.ca.gov/8735/Contra-Costa-County-Time-Capsule

My office is here to serve the residents of CCC District 2, which includes Alamo, Blackhawk, Canyon, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Rossmoor, San Ramon, Tassajara Valley, and parts of un-incorporated Walnut Creek. Please contact us if we can provide you with additional information on this topic or on other County issues. I can be reached at SupervisorAnd ersen@bos.cccounty.us or 925-655-2300.

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QUICK TRIPS By Linda Summers Pirkle

REMEMBERED LIGHT

Coventry, England has a history of a thousand years of kings, queens, cathedrals, and castles. One of the most somber historical events is the bombing of Coventry on the night of November 14th , 1940. A bombing raid by the Luftwaffe flattened the city, destroyed historical artifacts dating back to medieval times, killed over 600 people, and wounded hundreds more. The raid was so successful that a new term was created in the German vocabulary: “coventrieren,” a phrase used to refer to a city razed to the ground. The destruction of the glorious Cathedral Church of Saint Michael, also known as Coventry Cathedral was a personal loss to people all over England.

In 1951, Sir Basil Spence was chosen to be the architect for the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral. He insisted that the ruins of the old cathedral should remain intact. He said, “The new Cathedral should grow from the old and be incomplete without it.” Today, the shelled out remains and lone spire from the original church remind visitors of the savagery of war as well as serving as a monument to international peace and reconciliation.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, my son and I visited the emotionally-charged exhibit “Remembered Light, Glass Fragments from WWII” at the Veterans Hall in San Francisco. This powerful and unique exhibit features artwork made from shards of stained glass retrieved from the bombed remains of Coventry Cathedral as well as 24 other war-torn cathedrals, churches, and synagogues in Europe during WWII. Each of the art pieces has been meticulously crafted incorporating written testament about the origin of the shards.

During World War II, young U.S. Army Chaplain, Frederick Alexander McDonald (1908-2002) was called to Europe to serve the 12th Army Group Headquarters under the command of General Omar Bradley. The 12th Army group was the largest force of American soldiers totaling 1.3 million men. It liberated Paris and went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, crisscrossing all over Europe.

As Reverend McDonald waited in England for his orders, he visited the bombed-out Coventry Cathedral. It was there, according to his autobiography, he started his habit of “picking up shards of stained glass from shattered churches.” He traveled hundreds of miles both during the war and after, to places such as Aachen, Germany; Maastricht, Holland; Malmedy, Belgium; and Metz, France.

When he could, he collected shards of glass from bombed out windows. A meticulous note taker, he chronicled the story of each location where he retrieved glass then mailed each envelope home to his mother where she kept the collection, along with his notes in a box awaiting her son’s return. He did return, but the shards of glass lay in that box for over 50 years.

“I’m not surprised he kept those shards of glass for 50 years,” says his longtime friend J. Gordon Turnbull, “He kept just about every menu, ticket, and theatre stub he ever received! The mementos were useful for recalling events and telling stories. In a way, the works of stained-glass art in the Peace Windows exhibit are his most elaborate and telling story.”

Lead-stained glass artist, Armelle LeDoux, and 12 other renowned stained-glass artists created works of beauty and inspiration each telling an important piece of history using unaltered shards, every piece of glass a different size and shape.

“Remembered Light-Glass Fragments from WWII, The McDonald Peace Windows” exhibit is currently at the Veterans Building, Veterans Gallery, 401 Van Ness Ave. San Francisco. Wednesday -Sunday 1PM-6PM, through November 20th. Admission is free. Check out their website www.rememberthelight.org Linda Summers Pirkle is a travel writer, Francophile, consultant, and long-term Danville resident. To share your “Quick Trips” ideas, email Coverthemap@gmail.com.

A NEW EDUCATION CENTER FOR MOUNT DIABLO

By Wally De Young, Outreach Director, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association

Today, a small portable trailer does its best to welcome and educate the more than 35,000 visitors to Mitchell Canyon, on the northwest slope of Mount Diablo State Park. But the grounds are not ADA compliant, the parking inadequate, and there is no space for classes, presentations, or workshops. All of this limits the possibility of school buses bringing field trips to Mount Diablo. This will soon change, as efforts are underway to launch the park’s next hundred years with a modern and welcoming new education center near the town of Clayton. As Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools, Lynn Mackay, recently stated, “A new educational complex with ADA compliant facilities at Mitchell Canyon would make it possible to accommodate field trips by bus for the first time to the mountain and provide outdoor education, natural history, and environmental science opportunities that are not currently available.” Mount Diablo Interpretive Association (MDIA), the official Park partner, is launching a campaign to raise $3 million to build this new education center and hopes many others will join them as new protectors and champions of Mount Diablo. As a gateway to the wonder and spirit of Mount Diablo, the new education center will illuminate Native American history and relationships to Mount Diablo, and expand the native plant garden to teach about local flora and fauna. This exciting project is sure to inspire future generations to wander the mountain, explore Mount Diablo’s biodiversity, wonder at its beauty, and ensure its protection. For more information and to learn how you can help build the new Mitchel Canyon Education Center, visit MDIA.org or email mcec4mc@gmail.com

SRV GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY

The San Ramon Valley Genealogical Society (SRVGS) was organized in 1985 to provide its members with resources, assistance, and educational opportunities that help them successfully research their ancestry. The group publishes a monthly newsletter and offers monthly meetings of small groups with common interests to discuss their specific areas of research. SRVGS also provides resources ranging from a large selec tion of reference books to information on local genealogical libraries.

Please join the Tuesday, November 15th, 10AM ZOOM meeting with a presentation by Peggy Clemens Lauritzen who will talk about “Migration Trails Across America.” Peggy is an accredited genealogist, researcher, author, and member of the Ohio and Utah Genealogy Societies.

To become a member of SRVGS, visit srvgensoc.org and click on the “Join SRVGS” tab on the left side of the home page. For questions about the group, email president@srvgensoc.org

Cub Scout Pack 815 is a family Pack that meets in the Greenbrook area. The Pack consists of boys and girls who are in Kindergarten through 5th grade. They hold community service days twice per school year.

met at Greenbrook Elementary School and worked on cleaning and picking up trash on the Iron Horse Trail, at the Greenbrook school area, and the creek area on the local green

Meet Dr. Yvonne Hyland & Her Family

Dr. Hyland has been in private practice since 2000. She received a DDS degree from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas, Texas. Following dental school, she pursued a hospital-based General Practice Residency at the Vet eran’s Medical Center in West Los Angeles for two years. Realizing this was not the end of her formal education, she completed a successful three-year post-graduate surgical residency in periodontics. Dr. Hyland’s experience and professional skills excel in every aspect of dentistry from general cosmetic procedures to complex surgical cases. She has placed thousands of successful dental implants and is highly trained in all phases of gum disease therapy, tissue and bone grafting procedures, and wisdom teeth extraction.

Dr. Hyland understands the desire to provide the very best care for the entire family. As a resident of Alamo, she strives to meet community needs by providing unparalleled services for those seeking the finest complete dental care in one location. In her spare time, Dr. Hyland enjoys spending time with her husband Terry, two sets of twin boys, and their three rescue dogs adopted from ARF.

Meet Dr. Kiranjot Dyal

Dr. Kiranjot Dyal graduated from the University of California, Davis, with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Thereafter, she attended Western University of Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine to earn her degree in Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) and further extended her studies by completing a general practice residency at UCLA- Harbor Medical Center, where she earned the “Resident of the Year” accolade. Dr. Dyal’s passion for growth in her dental skills shows as she continues educating herself through various classes and up to date courses.

Dr. Dyal’s goal as a dental provider is to provide compassionate care for her patients and make them feel as stress-free as possible in the dental chair. She believes that knowledge is power and understanding what treatment is needed, why it's necessary, and how it can be prevented in the future is extremely important in bettering the overall oral health of her patients and the general public. Dr. Dyal strives to build a trusting and genuine relationship with her patients and their family and friends to create a comfortable dental home for the community she treats.

CLIP NOTES By Jody Morgan

Turkey might be the most common centerpiece on Thanksgiving tables today, but circumstances leading to the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving involve a true-life fish story. Top honors for the success of their 1621 harvest, however, belong to corn, the only crop they planted to thrive that year. When the ripened ears had been gathered in, the theft, kidnapping, and pandemic that made that harvest possible culminated in a remarkable celebration of friendship.

Blown off course on their way to Virginia, the motley company of the Mayflower made landfall on Cape Cod. In Of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford, who stayed with the ship, recounted discoveries made by the foraging party Myles Standish led. “They came upon a cleared field. And proceeding further they saw new stubble where corn had been set the same year; also they found where lately a house had been, where some planks and a great kettle was remaining, and heaps of sand newly paddled with their hands. Which, when digging them up, found in them divers fair Indian baskets filled with corn, and some in ears, fair and good, of divers colours, which seemed to them a very goodly sight (never having seen any such before).” The party helped themselves to much of the corn and buried the rest. At another site, beans found with the corn were taken.

The Pilgrims’ purloined produce would probably have yielded as disap pointing a crop as their seeds from England had Squanto (properly Tisquan tum), a knowledgeable native, not joined them in March 1621 just before planting time. Squanto’s personal misfortunes proved to have miraculous benefits for the struggling Mayflower survivors. Captured by Captain Thomas Hunt in 1614 to be sold into slavery in Spain, Squanto escaped to England where he was well-treated. Returning home in 1619 to the precise spot the Pilgrims claimed for their settlement, Squanto learned every man, woman, and child in his tribe had succumbed to a plague.

Fluent in English, Squanto soon adopted the settlers as family. His first gift to them was instruction in growing corn. The sandy coastal soil required organic fertilizer. Bradford notes: “he told them, except they got fish and set it with these old grounds it would come to nothing. And he showed them that

LAFAYETTE GARDEN CLUB

The Lafayette Garden Club monthly meeting begins at 10AM on November 10th at the Veteran’s Hall, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. John James will be the guest speaker. John comes from an artistic family with a father who was a landscape architect. As a young boy, John would create wildflower arrangements for their home. He later became a talented floral designer and landed a rewarding job with Stanley Gatti in San Francisco and then opened his own design shop in 1997.

The meeting is free to attend. If interested, please contact www.lafay ettegardenclub.com/contact.html .

SONS IN RETIREMENT

LAS TRAMPAS BRANCH #116

in the middle of April they should have store enough come up the brook by which they began to build, and taught them how to take it, and where to get other provisions necessary for them.” Herrings returned annually from the sea to spawn in the freshwater brook.

Wild turkey provided by the Pilgrims was supplemented by deer delivered by their Native American neighbors as they celebrated the 1621 harvest. Mourt’s Relation, a primary source account by multiple authors, describes the congenial event: “many Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained, and feasted ...”

William Wood lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony farther north. He published New England’s Prospect after returning to England in 1633. Writing that “these Indians be very hospitable” he explains: “Many ways hath their advice and endeavor been advantageous to us, they being our first instructors for the planting of their Indian corn, by teaching us to cull out the finest seed, to observe the fittest season, to keep distance for holes and fit measure for hills, to worm it and weed it, to prune it and dress it as occasion shall require.”

Indigenous people developed strains of corn suitable to their own growing conditions. Pete Wells writes in “A Thanksgiving History Lesson in a Handful of Corn” (New York Times, 11/22/2021): “In Arizona, Hopi farmers developed maize that could be planted a foot below the surface of high desert valleys, many inches deeper than other strains, down where meltwater from winter snows lingered into spring. Their maize has roots that can dig even deeper to find moisture, and shoots strong enough to reach the desert topsoil.”

The flint corn grown in New England and nearby Canada ripened in a short time. One variety matured in 45 days. Danielle Hill Greendeer is growing a strain called “King Phillip” in Mashpee, Massachusetts that Massasoit and his Wampanoag kinsmen would have planted.

Flint corns like “King Phillip” are flavor ful, highly nutritious, and usually processed as cornmeal. Wells cautions: “To keep any line of maize from dying out, farmers have to plant it faithfully, keep it from any other variety and save some kernels for next year.”

WALNUT CREEK GARDEN CLUB

The Walnut Creek Garden Club will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, November 14th at the Elks Lodge, 1475 Creekside Dr. in Walnut Creek. Registration begins at 9:30AM, followed by a brief business meeting, social time, and an educational program. Guest speaker and Contra Costa Master Gardener, John Fike, will give a fascinating talk on succulents.

Originating in Old and New World locations, succulents provide a beauti ful, unique, and climate-tolerant addition to your garden. John’s presentation will provide a snapshot into the aesthetic appeal of succulents, how to grow and maintain them, and how to deal with pests that might want to harm them.

The public is welcome to visit meetings and to become a part of the Club. For more information, visit www.walnutcreekgardenclub.org. Learn more about the Master Gardeners at www.ccmg.ucanr.edu

Sons in Retirement (SIR) Las Trampas Branch 116 helps semi-retired and retired men lead active lives. All ages are invited to partake in enriching social activities. There are minimal dues and no major commitments. Come join the group to make new friends and social connec tions and stay active. Monthly meetings are held at Boundary Oak Golf Course.

The robust and well organized nine-hole and 18-hole golf programs are in full swing. Play is at Boundary Oak and other courses in the area. There are two different book groups that meet monthly. A very active fishing group takes place with participation from SIR members in the area. Join our pickleball group for a fun way to get some exercise. The bridge group meets for lunch twice a month. Put on your shoes and take an easy hour-long walk every Friday morning with the Amiable Amblers walking group and also join in the monthly sponsored walking tours to explore local areas. Spouses and friends join in on wine tastings which take place at members houses and group dinners which are held at local restaurants.

To learn more or become a member, visit https://sirinc2.org/branch116, or call 925-322-1160. Come join the group and have some fun!

SAN RAMON VALLEY BRANCH #128

Looking for things to do in your retirement? Consider joining SIR San Ramon Valley Branch #128. There are monthly luncheons with interesting speakers and good fellowship. In-person luncheons occur on the third Wednesday of each month at 11AM at The Bridges located at 9000 S. Gale Ridge, San Ramon. The next luncheon will take place on Wednesday, November 16th. The speaker will be Leon Watkins, the Founder and Executive Director of “The Walking Ghost of Black History.” Leon graduated from Kennedy High School in Richmond and subsequently joined the United States Marine Core as a photographer. He had a remarkable career in the movie and television industry, and has been featured in Life magazine and the New York Times. He has also worked on such films as Forrest Gump and Driving Miss Daisy. Leon has a vast interest in Vietnam and Civil War history SIR 128 offers its members many activities including investing, book groups, fantasy football, technology, wine tastings, golf, bocce ball, bicycling, hiking, pickleball, and more.

If you’re interested in attending the luncheon/meeting as a guest, email membership@sir128.com. To learn more about the group, visit www.SIR128.com

VALLEY VIGNETTE

By Beverly Lane

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY UNDER THE VITASCOPE

The Richmond Record newspaper, published 120 years ago in the new city of Richmond, produced a souvenir book called Contra Costa County Under the Vitascope in 1902. It is a slice of life, complete with photographs and resident profiles. While it focused on Richmond and cities along the deep-water shoreline of the County, articles about communities in the inland valleys appeared as well.

A “County Resume” states: “Beyond any question, there is no other county in the State that presents greater inducements to the settler, for a wider range of diversified products or can compete with it for a more equable or semi-tropical climate.” “The most productive lands are found in the rich and fertile valleys.”

Here is the reporter’s south county description: “San Ramon Valley, at the foot of which is situated Walnut Creek, extends (south)…about twelve miles, where it extends into Livermore Valley.” “It contains about 7,000 acres of the most productive land in the State. All kinds of fruits are luxuriantly raised here, besides great quantities of hay, wheat, barley, and oats…The inducements for settlement are boundless, as many successful ranchers can testify.”

Danville is covered in three full pages, having benefited from its location directly on the 1891 Southern Pacific Railroad’s San Ramon Branch. “Danville is the prettiest small town in the County. It has some 300 inhabitants…in the center of the wonderfully productive San Ramon Valley…Danville is quite a thriving town, having about twenty business houses and an enterprising and spicy weekly paper, The Sentinel, owned and edited by Judge W. C Lewis, who does all the legal business in that section.”

Descriptions include the Mountain View Hotel, A. Flagel (“in the refreshment line” i.e. saloon), the Livery Stable (Mr. Halverson “is an enterprising man, and one of Danville’s representative men.”, A. E. Clark (“the popular postmaster at Danville...highly thought of as a business man and a gentleman”), Joe S. McCiel (who has a “cozy barber shop”) and M. J. Medina (“sells boots and shoes for Danville people” and “came from Portugal fourteen years ago”).

Alamo’s description is brief. “The little town of Alamo is the oldest in the County, nestled in the hills near Hemme station. It has a good school, several pretty homes, two stores, and a saloon. J. O. Reese, Chief Deputy Treasurer of San Francisco, has a beautiful home here. ‘China Sam,’ a naturalized Chinaman married to a Japanese woman, has a store here. William Cook also has a general store. W. B. Seeley runs the saloon.”

And, San Ramon has a few paragraphs as well. “At the head of the San Ramon Valley, on the summit, peeping over into the Livermore Valley to the south, sits the village of San Ramon, with its beautiful white buildings, lovely shade trees, and church spire…San Ramon is the terminus of the railroad. It has a fine school with two teachers, and nearly one hundred pupils. Has also a Methodist Church. Henry C. Hurst is postmaster and general merchant. Albertson & Erickson are the village blacksmiths, Peter Thorup the cobbler, Frank Morris, and William Tretzel have saloons.”

“Land is reasonably cheap here, and is adapted to the growth of almost all cereals and fruits. The Bishop Ranch is one of the best improved in the County. It is owned by the Bishop Brothers, attorneys in San Francisco.”

“Halfway between San Ramon and Danville station is Osage station, where the Californian and Hawaiian Sugar Company have 700 acres of fine land leased, on which an immense crop of sugar beets are raised annually. N. I. Baldwin is the manager.”

the use of authentic Star Wars costumes by enthusiasts who are not content with simply collecting the action figures but want to play the roles of their favorite characters. The website notes: “While not sponsored by Lucasfilm LTD, it follows generally accepted ground rules for Star Wars fan groups.” Originally founded to support fans with similar interests in costuming, the 501st Legion “is proud to put its resources to good use through fundraising, charity work, and volunteering.”

The Bay Area Droid Builders’ website explains: “We are an eclectic group who exchange information and ideas relating to building our favorite robots of the Star Wars films such as R2-D2 and BB-8, and more!” The Droid Builders are active participants in local charity and educational events.

The 2012 renovation of VMBSRV doubled the size of the historic building located at the corner of Hartz and Prospect Avenues. With an expanded auditorium, space for a library, and a new senior wing, the re-designed community resource is home to a variety of organizations.

Michelle Lee, Commander, Mount Diablo Post 246, The American Legion, explains: “The Veterans Memorial Building of the San Ramon Valley is open and welcoming to the entire community. It is a place where veterans and their families can learn about benefits and services or plan community service activities, but it is also a place to learn about our country’s military service and the sacrifices made to safeguard the freedoms we often take for granted. It’s a place to learn about ad ditional services provided by our armed forces, such as a tremendous amount of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, and why every American should be proud of what they accomplish on a daily basis.”

Monday-Friday from 9am- 3pm, VMBSRV has veteran volunteers (no pre-reg istration required) available to guide visitors through the collections of military artifacts and historical documents on display. Lee Halverson, who has been orga nizing the docent volunteers for a decade, notes that some of the most interesting comments come from foreign visitors from Europe and Asia. He estimates that during ordinary years when COVID is not an issue, 30-40 individuals come to tour the building each month. He writes: “We welcome all visitors, but especially local veterans that have not been here before to introduce them to their museum

Osage Station with beet dump, c. 1900

ALAMO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION (AIA)

By Roger Smith, President

AUTUMNS BOUNTY AT FARMERS MARKET

Come experience live music while you stroll the bountiful produce and other goodies for sale at the Alamo Farmers Market. Our vendors welcome the opportunity to discuss their businesses and goods with you.

The Market is open rain or shine on Sundays from 9AM – 2PM in Alamo Plaza, off of Danville Blvd., near Bank of America.

EUROPEAN MODEL TRAINS AT ALAMO PLAZA

European Train Enthusiasts (ETE), in association with the Alamo Improvement Association (AIA), will be operating model trains on a beautiful European themed layout November 25th - December 31st, in Suite 170A (next to Orange Theory) in the Alamo Plaza Shopping Center in Alamo.

The display will be open Wednesday through Sundays 10AM - 5PM, plus Monday and Tuesday December 26th and 27th. Admission is $5 and under 6 are free. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

EMERGENCY PLANNING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

In the event of an immediate threat to your life, health, or safety, the county’s Community Warning System (CWS) will be activated. Depending on the urgency, severity, and certainty of the threat, some combination of the following alerting devices may be activated to provide you as much notice as possible.

To learn more and to make sure all household members are able to get alerts about an emergency from local officials, check with your local emergency management agency to see what is available in your area. Visit www.ready. gov/alerts and www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/2269/Emergency-Information

You may hear sirens in special safety zones. If sirens sound, shelter inside the nearest building; shut and close all doors and windows, and stay quiet and listen for any important instructions.

Tune into the Emergency Alert System (EAS) on television and radio (KCBS 740 AM), listen to any broadcast from Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS) and NOAA Weather Radios. To get alerts on your cellphone, sign up at https://cwsalerts.com

CWS will alert residents and businesses within Contra Costa County that are impacted by, or are in danger of, being impacted by an emergency. The CWS message will include basic information about the incident and what specific protective actions (shelter in place, lockdown, evacuate, avoid the area, etc.) are necessary to protect life and health.

To start your own emergency communication plan, discuss family/house hold plans for disasters that may affect your area and decide where to go. Make sure everyone in the household understands where to meet during a different type of disaster. Practice your plan and regularly review it. For more infor mation, visit: www.ready.gov/california, www.ready.gov/make-a-plan, www. ready.gov/kids, and www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/159970

AIA SERVING OUR COMMUNITY

Now in its 67th year, AIA, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, has the longest history of serving our community and helping shape it into “the place where we love to live!” Visit www.AlamoCA.org for information on AIA, articles of interest to local residents, membership forms, and more. Visit www.AlamoVision2040.org for more information, a citizen’s survey, and community poll.

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

By Evan Corstorphine, Portable CIO, Inc. WATCH ME GO!

When the pandemic arrived in early 2020, I was still recovering from a 2019 neck surgery. As part of my recovery, I endeavored to get back into swimming for health and fitness. As a youth I swam competitively and played water polo in high school; however, I had given it up as the competing pressures of family and children entered my life.

It can be very difficult to get back into an exercise habit. It was made easier for me because my kids were in town over the holidays, and I started on New Year’s Day 2020. It wasn’t a New Years resolution as much as convenient timing! For the first time in years, it felt good to be back in the water. After a couple of swims I wanted to keep up my momentum, so I continued after they returned home after the holidays. Suddenly, something reawakened in me and swimming was fun again.

Having somewhat of an analytical personality, I crave data, and I had all sorts of questions. I wanted to know how I was doing in the pool. How was my endurance improving? How fast was I swimming? How fast was my heart beating when swimming nominally and at my limit, and how fast was I recovering back to my original heartrate? How many laps and yards/meters did I swim? How many strokes was I using per 25, 50, or 100 yards? Approximately how many calories was I burning? Tracking this data would help me understand how my body was responding to the exercise, and how I could better manage my approach.

I began looking for an exercise companion to help me in my quest. I looked at Fitbit, Garmin, Android, and Apple Watch. The Apple Watch provided the complete solution I was looking for, because it was not only a full-featured exercise watch, it integrated with my phone. I bought the Apple Watch Series 6, but then upgraded to the Series 7 because it came with the heartrate monitor I was looking for. I was also interested in the GPS function that would track my route in open water.

The Apple Watch works for many types of exercise, including lap or open-wa ter swims, running, walking, biking, Pilates, yoga, stretching, and much more. It seamlessly integrates with the “Exercise” and “Health” apps on the iPhone, and with other tracking apps as well. My experience is with swimming; however, I think there are even more running and biking-related “app” integrations because they are more popular sports.

I learn a lot from each swim. The exercise app provides a useful summary of everything going on. The pictures here are for an open water swim, and as you can see it tracked my route from start to finish. Along the route you may be able to tell the line changes colors. In general, green is faster, yellow is mid-range, and red is the slowest. I don’t know what the thresholds are however, it’s useful to see from swim to swim how much certain colors fill my route.

Swimming is what I’m good at, and it’s my main sport. As such, I am OK splurg ing because I get great utility from the devices I buy. That previous sentence was self-justification for my having just purchased the latest Apple watch, Series 8 Ultimate. I bought it because my eyes aren’t what they used to be and it has a bigger screen, together with new internal and external temperature sensors. When I swim in cold water (49-59 degrees) I need to know both the temperature of the water and how my body is doing. There is a fine, fine line between just being really cold and being hypothermic. Hypother mia is not only potentially fatal, it’s seriously unpleas ant to flirt with. Heading into the winter swimming months in the Bay, this matters a lot. Again, the data is what I crave, and this helps me stay safe.

As an athlete I can assure you that this is an excellent tool for exercise tracking. It is not a gimmick, it’s a serious tool. At least for swimmers, I highly recommend it.

For help with the Apple Watch and similar accessories, contact the friendly staff at Portable CIO at 925-552-7953x4, or email support@pcioit.com

ESTATE PLANNING FOR “DYSFUNCTIONAL” LOVED ONES

By Robert J. Silverman, Esq.

Unfortunately, a significant percentage of people have loved ones who are dysfunctional in some manner. For the purpose of this article, the term “dysfunctional” can be broadly defined as “any impairment, disturbance, or deficiency in behavior on the part of an individual.”

Providing in one’s estate plan for a dysfunctional (hereafter, I’ll use the less judgmental term, “distinctive”) loved one can be challenging.

An attorney will ultimately need to determine the following for your estate plan (i.e. living trust provisions upon your death; retirement plan and life insurance beneficiary designations, etc.): i) What portion of your assets shall your distinctive beneficiary receive upon your death?; ii) When and how should he receive them?

The answers to the following questions, among others, will be reasonably necessary to evaluate how to best plan for your distinctive beneficiary (hereafter, hypothetically “Charlie”): i) How old is Charlie? ii) What kind of distinction does Charlie have (i.e. substance abuse; substantial mental health issues; developmental delays or deficits; gambling addiction; a pattern of making very poor decisions; etc)? iii) Does Charlie receive or is he eligible to receive “means-tested” public benefits for his “disability”, such as SSI and/or Medi-Cal? iv) Does Charlie have and/or is he capable of holding a meaningful job? v) Does Charlie have the ability and skills to manage his own finances? vi) How likely is it that Charlie’s distinctive situation will be temporary rather than a lifetime matter?

Customized planning is critical and can only be done after the right questions have been asked, alternatives explored, and soul-searching conducted by the distinctive beneficiary’s parent. Some general, but important, considerations are:

1) If you have other children (in addition to Charlie), do you want an equal or unequal percentage of your assets to go to Charlie? A related

question may be whether you might want one or more particular assets (such as a home or condo) to go to Charlie. These potentially difficult, perhaps painful, decisions may depend, in part, on the needs and potential opportunities that the other beneficiaries have. You might deem relevant the issue of how giving a disproportionate amount to the distinctive beneficiary would be perceived by all or certain of your loved ones.

2) If Charlie is receiving, eligible for, or very likely to be receiving or eligible for government benefits upon your death, the drafting of a “Special Needs Trust” (SNT) should be carefully considered and discussed with your estate planning attorney. In short, a SNT provides for the special and supplemental needs (rather than primary needs) of the distinctive beneficiary; and thereby, if properly drafted and implemented, preserves the beneficiary’s eligibility to receive public benefits.

3) Charlie’s share of your living trust is often best held in trust for Charlie’s lifetime. Typically, the trustee is given discretion to distribute income and principal to Charlie as needed to maintain his reasonable lifestyle. This may be appropriate even if your other beneficiaries are to receive their shares outright.

4) Whether or not a lifetime trust is used, it is often helpful to give a trustee authority to suspend distributions to Charlie (or any beneficiary) if the trustee determines that such beneficiary has substance abuse problems, an addiction, or other behaviors that substantially interfere with the beneficiary’s ability to handle a trust distribution responsibly.

Simple, conventional planning is such that, upon a parent’s death, one’s living trust states that assets are to be distributed “to the children, in equal shares, outright.” Unfortunately, such common provision may be materially adverse to, and cause serious harm to, Charlie and/or any given beneficiary. |Estate Planning | Trust Administration & Probate | Real Estate | Business|

Please contact me to request a complimentary: i) “Estate Planning Primer”; ii) Real Estate titling brochure; iii) introductory meeting. I am an attorney with R. Silverman Law Group, 1910 Olympic Blvd., Suite 330, Walnut Creek, CA 94596; (925) 705-4474; rsilverman@rsilvermanlaw.com.

This article is intended to provide information of a general nature, and should not be relied upon as legal, tax and/ or business advice. Readers should obtain specific advice from their own, qualified professional advisors.

LEGACY

By Peter T. Waldron, Managing Partner of Waldron Partners

“Legacy is not what I did for myself. It is what I am doing for the next generation.”~ Vitor Belfort

Leaving a legacy is one of the most important things that you can do for your family. It is the gift that will keep on giving long after you are gone. But setting up a legacy is no easy task – it requires careful planning and execution. In this month’s article, we will discuss some of the key things you need to think about when defining your legacy.

While it is not easy to think about, one of the key things you must consider when planning your legacy is how you want it to be remembered by future generations. What qualities or values do you hope to instill in your loved ones? What lessons do you want them to take away from your life? Once you have answers to these difficult questions, you can begin creating the legacy you desire.

Another key element to consider is what sort of legacy you desire to leave. Do you want to provide a financial gift or make a char itable donation? Or do you have another idea in mind? There is no right or wrong answer; it all depends on what is most important to you and your family.

Finally, let us discuss how your legacy will be handled after you are gone. This covers everything from who will manage your assets to how they will be dispersed. There is no right or wrong answer; it all depends on your unique circumstances and what you believe is best for your loved ones.

It is a difficult but crucial job to establish your legacy. You can design your legacy to your liking by taking the effort to consider these things now. Legacy planning is not something that should be delayed until later in life. The sooner you start thinking about it, the better prepared you will be. If you have any questions regarding establishing your legacy or need assistance getting started, please contact us. We would like to help you in any way we can, until next time!

“The greatest legacy one can pass on to one’s children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one’s life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.” ~ Billy Graham

To schedule a complimentary review of your financial situation, please contact me at 925-708-7397 or email peter.waldron@lfg.com.

Peter T. Waldron, California Insurance License #0E47827, is a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a broker/dealer, member SIPC, and offers investment advisory services through Sagemark Consulting, a division of Lincoln Fi nancial Advisors Corp., a registered investment advisor, Waldron Partners, 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 190 PO Box 528, Alamo, CA 94507. Waldron Partners is not an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Advisors. Insurance is offered through Lincoln Marketing and Insurance Agency, LLC and Lincoln Associates Insurance Agency, Inc., and other fine companies. This material is for use with the general public and is designed for informational or educational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, tax, or direct investment advice. Lincoln Financial Advisors does not offer legal or tax advice. CRN-5009274-101222. Advertorial

Veterans continued from page 15

and local veteran organizations, patriotic programs, and their veterans lounge.”

The Swearing-In Ceremony is one of many special projects created and supported by local veterans’ groups. Mike Conklin, who subsequently founded Sentinels of Freedom, organized the first recognition ceremony for local recruits in 1998 with Major General Ronald Lowe, US Army (ret.) as keynote speaker.

Conklin recalls: “The reason we did this was to honor the students from our then three high schools who had made the highest commitment a high school graduate could make, that of service above self, and to our nation, in joining the military. Prior to this the high schools were doing nothing at graduation ceremonies to even mention them.”

Until COVID moved the pre-graduation ceremony outdoors, the yearly event honoring recruits was held inside the Veterans Memorial Building. Moving it to Danville’s Town Green provided an unexpected enhancement to the event. On May 22, 2022, fifteen graduating seniors were honored. Dennis Giacovelli, President of the Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley (VNVDV) and Major General Ronald Lowe presented each enlistee with a Veterans Memorial Building challenge coin. Giacovelli notes that a ranking member of each appropriate branch of service officiates for the swearing-in of enlistees headed to Boot Camp, while those entering Military Academies are honored by name, but not sworn-in at this time. Blue Star Moms with sons and daughters currently serving in the US Armed Forces are on hand to provide information and offer support for parents.

Conklin adds: “In this manner we make sure before they depart to basic military training that they know their community knows their names and faces and is proud of them. Our promise to them is that when they leave military service and come home, whether in four years or 25 years, we will be here to help them get into college or employment opportunities.”

Some initiatives are more personal. The Shadow Box Project was started by VNVDV in January 2022 to help members plan and construct displays of their own military achievements. Halverson, a retired Marine, agreed to train the VMBSRV docents he organizes to help. Steven Burchik, author of Compass and a Camera: A Year in Vietnam, writes: “The primary purpose of the training is to explain to veterans how to gather the medals, ribbons, and symbols of rank already in their possession. It provides guidance on commercial sources to obtain missing medals, etc. In addition, it provides direction to government forms that might be needed to obtain information about awards the veteran might have received after leaving the service. Docents also direct the veteran to local retail outlets that offer low-cost blank shadow boxes.” Completed shadow boxes are important sources of family history and pride.

On Friday, November 11th at 11AM, a formal Veterans Day program will be held in the main hall of VMBSRV. Michelle Lee remarks on behalf of all the veterans with whom she feels honored to be acquainted: “We value our country, and we are still serving America in as many ways we possibly can regardless of whether we are in uniform or not.”

At the close of World War I, Congress chartered the American Legion as a patriotic veterans’ organization. Contra Costa County utilized a bond issued by California to build veterans’ memorial halls in each town with an American Legion Post. In a 2019 article titled “Veterans Memorial Building:

The “Huey” outside VMBSRV is a favorite at every Danville Veterans Day event.

Captain Tim Sammons, US Navy (ret.) took charge of the Tactical Operations Center display at a previous VMBSRV Pop-Up Museum.

IS SCIATICA GETTING ON YOUR NERVES?

By Dr. Niele Maimone, DC

The condition known as sciatica is one of the most common conditions that we treat at Align Healing Center. Some typical symptoms of sciatica are sharp pain in the low back and/or buttocks accompanied by numbness, tingling, aching, or burning down the back of the leg. In severe cir cumstances, weakness in the leg may also be seen.

The sciatic nerve is large and travels down the back of the leg to the foot. The nerve is buried deep within the muscles of the buttock and leg, making it difficult to treat with common physical therapy methods. The sciatic nerve is composed of several smaller nerves and originates from the low back. It passes under the piriformis muscle (underneath the main buttock muscles) on its way down the leg. Irritation of the sciatic nerve at any point along its path is commonly known as “sciatica.”

UNDERSTANDING SCIATICA

Let’s talk about nerves for a moment. Nerves are the electrical wiring of the human body. They carry the signals that allow us to move, feel, digest, detoxify, respond to our environment, and much more. Plain and simple, if the nerves do not work, the body will not work. It is important to understand that, unlike other tissues, the primary blood supply to nerve tissue is located WITHIN the nerve itself. So, if a nerve becomes impinged or compromised, so does the blood supply to the nerve. Without a proper blood supply, the nerve does not receive the energy and nutrition needed for the nerve to heal itself. Over time, neural impingement leads to a painful chronic condition called neuropathy. The definition of neuropathy is a disease or injury affecting nerve cells. The common symptoms of neuropathy include sharp pain, burning, muscular weakness, numbness, or tingling either at the site of the nerve injury or wherever the nerve travels. The condition known as sciatica is a form of neuropathy that specifically affects the sciatic nerve.

WHAT CAN I DO TO RELIEVE MY SCIATICA WITHOUT DRUGS OR SURGERY?

Since 1999, Align Healing Center has been offering many different modali ties to heal sciatica. We have found that combining Class IV laser therapy and

spinal decompression offers outstanding results in healing stubborn sciatica. Class IV laser therapy allows the practitioner to stimulate healing within the damaged tissue by delivering the necessary energy directly to the injured area. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces pain and inflamma tion, swelling, muscle spasms, and stiffness. In addition to laser therapy, we implement spinal decompression to restore spinal disc health. Decompression works by gently stretching the spine, creating a vacuum effect that can restore disc height, and even reduce the severity of bulging disc conditions associated with chronic pain and neurological symptoms.

We have found laser and decompression therapy to be most beneficial for patients with pinched nerves, arthritis, herniated discs, and degenerative disc disease. This unique combination of non-invasive therapy offers a chance to realize a permanent cure. The treatment is finite and typically lasts for about a month. This eliminates the long-term care commitment forced upon patients by other symptomatic sciatica treatments. With proper care and rehabilitation of your spine and nervous system, you can quickly be back to your healthy self!

Dr. Niele Maimone, DC of Align Healing Center in Danville, has been active in natural health and wellness since 1999. For more information, or to set up a consult, call 925-362-8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com. Advertorial

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION

Have you done some home cleaning and find yourself with paints and paint thinners, cleaning supplies, pesticides and gar den-care items, batteries, motor oil and other automotive products, solvents, fluorescent tubes, personal care products, or unknown rusty containers that need safe disposal?

The Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection facility operated by the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District offers this free service to residents. Drop-off is available at 4797 Imhoff Place in Martinez from Monday-Saturday from 7AM until 2PM with no appointment needed. Drop-off appointments for small businesses can be scheduled.

more at www.centralsan.org/household-hazardous-waste-collection-facility

YOUR PERSONAL NUTRITIONIST BONE HEALTH AND NUTRITION

By Linda Michaelis RD, MS

I have been working with many women like myself that have been diagnosed with osteopenia. Osteopenia is where bone density is lower than usual for ones age. I have also been working with individuals who have osteoporo sis, which is a more severe case of bone loss that weakens the bones and makes them more likely to fracture.

Diet is an important part of preventing bone disease. Not getting enough nutrients to develop strong bones puts us at risk for breaking a bone or having osteoporosis. The following nutrients and the foods that contain them hold promise in optimizing bone health.

CALCIUM

Calcium is an essential mineral for both building bones and keeping them healthy. The body uses bone tissue to maintain constant concentrations of calcium in the blood, muscles, and intercellular fluids. To replace calcium loss in bones, dietary sources of calcium must be consumed. In 2010, the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) was updated to 1,300mg daily for kids aged 9 to 18, 1,000mg daily for adults aged 19 to 50 and for men aged 51 to 70, and 1,200mg daily for women aged 51 to 70 and for men and women over 70.

Good sources of calcium include dairy products such as reduced-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese, and green vegetables, and calcium-fortified foods such as soymilk, tofu, cereals, snacks, breads, and orange juice. MyPlate now recommends people over the age of nine consume three servings of dairy products per day. When working with girls ages 9 to 13, a time of maximal bone growth, I am adamant about them taking in the necessary calcium.

You should know your target for daily calcium intake. Try to meet your daily requirement through diet, but if you cannot reach this goal you must fill in the deficit with a calcium supplement.

There has been some controversy about supplementing with too much calcium in addition to diet. Some studies show that a high calcium diet can cause cardiovascular risk as well as prostate cancer. Please be mindful to keep to the recommended allowances.

CALCIUM IN FOODS

It has been well researched that calcium in plant-based milk, yogurt, and tofu are absorbed at the same rate as those found in cows milk. Listed are

foods that contain the most calcium.

• ½C Tofu 400mg • 3oz. Salmon 200mg

• 3oz. Sardines 370mg • 1C cooked Spinach 250mg

• 1C cooked Broccoli 180mg • Instant Oatmeal packet150mg

• 1C Yogurt (cows milk, almond, soy) 300mg

• 1oz. Hard Cheese (cheddar, jack) 200mg

• 1C Milk (skim, low fat,whole, soy, or almond) 300mg

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is also essential to bone health and it promotes calcium absorption in the gut. To support bone health, the Institute of Medicine recommends 600 IU daily. The National Osteoporosis Foundation takes it a step further recommending healthy women and those with low bone density or osteoporosis to take 1,000 IU daily.

Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel provide vitamin D. However, most of the vitamin D in American diets comes from vitamin D fortified foods, such as milk, milk products, orange juice, and cereals. Vitamin D can be absorbed through synthesis in the body after being exposed to sunlight, but we can’t count on that being a consistent source. You can get a blood test to check your vitamin D level.

WEIGHT AND EXERCISE

Maintaining a healthy weight through diet and physical activity are key strategies for preventing bone disease. If you have physical activity and me chanical stress your cells make osteoblasts. If there is no activity cells know that and create inflammation which is not good for bone. Combine an exercise program with weight-bearing exercises and walking for impact.

I am available to help you through your journey to excellent bone health, and keeping your weight and health in check.

If you feel like your diagnosis is overwhelming I am happy to take you by the hand and set up a personal meal plan for you.

Nutritional counseling is usually covered by health insurance including Aetna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Sutter, and others. I am happy to call on your behalf and see what your plan offers. Please visit www.LindaRD. com to learn more about my services. Email me at lifeweight1@yahoo.com, or call me at 925-855-0150 to tell me about your nutritional concerns and see how I may help you.

PICOSURE LASER

By Dr. Barbara Persons

Advertorial

Sun damage, wrinkles, and acne scars; who needs them? PicoSure® laser is fast, effective, safe, and requires little to no downtime for you. You can be back to work after a lunchtime procedure!

With PicoSure® laser, say “hello” to rejuvenated healthy skin, stimulate collagen and elastin produc tion, and gain a glow with the laser revitalization.

For best results, four to six treatments are recom mended, four weeks apart. PicoSure’s® pressure-wave technology uses a unique wavelength of light (755nm) and a specialized lens to convert laser energy into gentle pressure. This pressure “squeezes” cells, activating the natural cell signaling process that creates new collagen and elastin without burning or damaging the skin. This process can also reduce unwanted pigmen tation during the course of treatment. The skin is left looking healthy, bright, and revitalized. Because PicoSure® utilizes pressure wave instead of heat, patients of all skin types can be treated and experience very little downtime.

Do you have a tattoo that you no longer love? Say goodbye! PicoSure® removes unwanted tattoos faster and more effectively than ever before. Over the course of approximately six or seven treatments, lasers remove the ink by targeting the ink’s pigment with a high intensity light beam, causing it to break into smaller molecules. The ink is then absorbed by the body naturally, fading the tattoo until it is no longer visible. Like other cosmetic procedures, individual results may vary, but our team’s dedication to your satisfaction won’t!

Ready to look as good as you feel? Call our office, and let’s discuss your goals to healthy, revitalized skin! Treatment packages are available.

Barbara L Persons, MD, FACS is a Board Cer tified Plastic Surgeon and owns Persons Plastic Surgery, Inc., located at 911 Moraga Rd, Suite 205 in Lafayette. She can be reached at 925-283-4012 or info@personsplasticsurgery.com. Advertorial

AMERICANS OVER 50 WANT TO 'AGE IN PLACE' AT HOME….ARE YOU PREPARED TO BE SAFE AND WELL AT HOME?

By Ann Marie Giusto, RN

The latest University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found nearly nine in 10 Americans (88%) between the ages of 50 and 80 say it’s important to them to remain in their homes as they age. However, nearly half (47%) shared that they have given little or no thought as to the steps they’d need to take so they could remain safely and comfortably at home as they age.* Could this be you, your loved one, or your neighbor?

To my surprise, this was me. My father had his 91st birthday this summer, and my mom celebrated 80 years young this past month.

My parents live together in their Alamo home of over 40 years. They are near me, my four siblings, and our families including my husband and five children.

My father is a retired physi cian, and my mother is active as a gardener, seamstress, and cook. My sister is a pharmacist, my brother is a physician, and my two sisters and I are registered nurses. We know our parents love being in their home, but with their changing health needs, we have had to figure out how to keep them safe while still respecting their independence and privacy.

However, between an increasing number of appointments, falls, complaints of pain, medication changes, numerous doctors, their resistance to caregivers, forgotten computer passwords, and unawareness of community resources, frustration set in for all of us. Navigating their healthcare became confusing and stressful, even for us, a family with over 175 years of combined healthcare experience. We seem to have the same goals as our parents, but we weren’t sure how to help them be independent while still staying safe.

As a result of this personal experience with my parents, a few years ago I started a mobile business, “Concierge Nursing Care Inc - Be Well at Home,” following executive roles at Sutter Health and Blue Shield of California.

As a team of experienced, compassionate, local registered nurses, we are able to respectfully ask questions, assess various needs, and provide rec ommendations depending on input and family situations. Our involvement can be a one-time visit or ongoing visits/calls.

Sometimes aging in place at home makes sense, and sometimes other options may be beneficial.

Are you or your loved one prepared to be safe and well at home today, in months, or if something suddenly happens? Below are a few questions to start asking yourself or your loved one:

• Is the current home the place you want to grow old in? If yes, are you aware of basic safety features that can help keep you safe?

• Do you understand your current medical issues and do you feel well?

• Are you taking medications as prescribed?

• Are you becoming forgetful?

• Do you have someone to help if you get sick, fall, or are alone?

• Are you having a difficult time talking with your health care providers?

• Do you need help recovering when coming home from the hospital?

• Could you use some help with cooking, errands, or showering?

• Have you recently fallen or afraid you may fall?

• Does your family or a friend know your wishes if something happens to you?

• Do you think you may need some assistance but not sure what exactly you need or whom to call?

Like my parents, if you answered yes to any of these questions, you may need some extra help. This could just be a matter of changing a few things in your home, accessing community resources, or a little temporary assistance. Or, it could be you need some long-term help, or to explore other living options.

My team would be honored to help you navigate these situations and support you and your family. We are mobile and will meet you at your home or wherever it is easiest for you. We can provide recommendations and be available as little or as much as you may need. For more information about all of our services, visit www.BeWellRN.com, or call 925-202-8250 to schedule a complimentary consultation. Myself and my team of compassionate regis tered nurses are available 24/7. Let us help you Be Well at Home. Advertorial

215 ALAMO PLAZA

ALAMO, CA 94507 www.poplarspecs.com

OPEN

MONDAY FRIDAY: 9 6

SATURDAY: 9 4

Coat continued from front page

Compass Real Estate (15 Railroad Ave. - near the post office), and Heritage Bank (387 Diablo Rd.). For a list of all locations including in San Ramon and Pleasant Hill, visit www.sanramonvalleyrotary.com.

In partnership with Rotary, on Wednesday, November 16th from 2PM to 5PM, the Alamo Women’s Club’s Together We Give project will be offering curbside donation drop off. Tax receipts will be available. The Club is located at 1401 Danville Blvd. in Alamo.

For information, call Dany Gregory at 925-899-6771 or email OneWarmCoatRotary@gmail.com, Bernie Szalaj at 925-352-2155, bernard.szalaj@gmail.com, or Valerie Munoz at 925-6836310 or vamunoz@comcast.net

FUN AT THE DANVILLE SENIOR CENTER

The Danville Senior Center has resumed its Monday Senior Lunch program. Lunches are provided in partnership with Café Costa and will be served at noon each Monday. Participants can enjoy puzzles and board games in the Community Hall at the Danville Senior Center (located at 115 E Prospect Ave, Danville) before lunch and stay for a free weekly movie following lunch.

Residents wishing to participate will need to complete a County NAPIS form and call in their reservation by noon the Friday before. Forms are available at the Danville Senior Center. The lunch program is provided in partnership with Contra Costa County and has a suggested donation of $3 for those 60 and up. Those under 60 can still enjoy lunch for a $6 fee. Menus are available at www.danville.ca.gov/seniors, and vegetarian options are available by request.

For more information or to call in a reservation, please contact the Danville Senior Center at (925) 314-3430.

*Sheria Robinson-Lane, PhD, MHA, RN, National Poll on Healthy Aging, University of Michigan,

My parents, Alamo residents, Neva and Louis Giorgi.

Veterans continued from page 18

The original American Legion Hall,” local historian and former Danville mayor Beverly Lane de scribes how the structure served a wide range of community activities. “It was used for veterans’ meetings, as the Chamber of Commerce office, the Justice of the Peace court, the hilarious Legion Follies from around 1946-1956, plays, parties, recreational classes, and events of all sorts. It was the County Supervisor’s office in the late seventies.”

Quoting from a 1941 piece in the Walnut Kernel , she adds: “What is probably the oldest continuous series of dances in Contra Costa County is conducted monthly in the Danville veterans’ hall by the Mt. Diablo post of the American Legion. On the first Saturday night of each month, the post and women’s auxiliary have an oldtime dance where middle-aged folk may enjoy the ... dances they learned when children.”

Refurbishment in the late 1970s drew a crowd of 500 for the rededication of VMBSRV in April 1978. In 2008, the county placed the land and building in trust for veterans to facilitate a partnership between the Town of Danville and the Veterans Memorial Building Development Committee of the San Ramon Valley.

Much more about VMBSRV, the organizations regularly meeting within, the military mem orabilia, and information available to visitors and researchers can be found at vmbsrv.org

HELP! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO GIVE RIDES TO SENIORS AND VETERANS

Mobility Matters is a nonprofit agency that gives rides to seniors and veterans in Contra Costa County. Volunteer drivers are needed to escort seniors to medical appointments and grocery shopping. Volunteers must be 25 to 75 years old.

Please call Mobility Matters at (925) 284-2215 for more details. You can learn more about Mobility Matters at www. mobilitymatterscc.com

LOCAL ROTARY CLUBS

MEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS

Meals on Wheels (MOW) Diablo Region has many volunteer opportunities to aid seniors in our communities. Do you have a few hours a month to spare?

Become a home meal delivery driver and assist in getting prepared meals to those in need. The Friendly Visitors, Friendly Callers, and Friendly Helpers programs check in on seniors and also can assist them with everyday errands, such as grocery shopping or picking up medications at a local pharmacy.

For more information, visit www.mowdiabloregion.org/get-involved, or contact Eileen Stephens at estephens@mowdr.org, or 925-482-2622, or Tuyet Iaconis at tiaco-nis@mowdr.org or 925-891-4872.

To learn more about The Rotary Club of Alamo and see current meeting dates and times, visit their Facebook page “Rotary Club of Alamo.” More information is also available at alamorotary.org, alamorotary@hotmail.com, or by calling 925-718-6601. The Danville Rotary Club meets virtually every Monday at noon. Learn more at danvillerotary.org. If you are interested in the Danville/Sycamore Valley Rotary Club, contact Daniel Kodam at daniel@dsvrotary.com, call 925-336-0000, or visit dsvrotary.com. The Rotary Club of San Ramon Valley meets via Zoom every Wednesday night from 7PM-8:30PM. For more information, call Valerie Munoz at 925-6836310 or visit www.sanramonvalleyrotary.com. The Rotary Club of Dougherty Valley/San Ramon meets via Zoom on Wednesdays from 5:30PM-6:40PM . For more information, call 925-998-2924. Rotary Club of San Ramon meets via Zoom every Thursday between noon and 1:15pm. For more information, visit sanramonrotary.org, or email chris@gallagherwealth.com, or call 925-831-3043.

DANVILLE LIONS CLUB

The Danville Lions Club meets twice a month at 6:30PM on the first and third Wednesday at Mangia Mi located at 406 Hartz Ave, Danville. The group is looking for like-minded people who wish to volunteer their time for good causes to join the club. The group is a dinner-time club and meets at restaurants for dinner and business meetings in Danville. Danville Lions raise funds and provide services to those in need, both locally and worldwide, through fun and gratifying projects. Lions are well known for successful initiatives in vision health. Please visit www.e-clubhouse.org/ sites/danvilleca to learn more or contact Club president Diana Gaines at 925-719-1553.

EXCHANGE CLUB

The Exchange Club of San Ramon Valley meets for lunch the second Wednesday of every month at The Grille at Blackhawk, located at 3540 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville. Sign-in and social time begin at 11:30AM The meeting starts promptly at noon and ends promptly at 1PM. The one-hour program features guest speakers and business networking. Guests are welcome with luncheon reservations. The cost is $30. For reservations and information, please contact Karen Stepper at 925-998-8865 or coachstepper@yahoo.com

KIWANIS CLUB OF SAN RAMON VALLEY

The Kiwanis Club of San Ramon Valley meets every Thursday at noon at Black Bear Diner located at 807 Camino Ramon in Danville. The Club organizes the Kiwanis 4th of July Parade in Danville and many other exciting events. The Club has an interesting and informative weekly program speaker and specializes in fun and entertaining camaraderie. There is no charge for a guest lunch. For more information, email info@srvkiwanis.org, or visit www.srvkiwanis.org

Captain Lorrie Sammons, US Navy (ret.) invites visitors to enjoy the first Pop-Up Museum displays at VMBSRV.

The annual Swearing-in Ceremony was held inside VMBSRV from 1998-2019 until COVID moved it outside.

THE EYE OPENER

By Gregory Kraskowsky, O.D., Alamo Optometry

AURA AND OCULAR MIGRAINES

Many patients, including myself, have experienced an ocular migraine in which you typically see a wide range of visual phenomena that is often followed by an actual headache. There are some different terms for this condition including aura, ocular migraine, ocular aura, and retinal migraines. Even though they have slightly different meanings, I will lump them into one for the purposes of this article. Initially, these can be very scary as patients are concerned that they are losing their vision and/or having a stroke. Thankfully, neither will happen just from having an ocular migraine; however, depending on the exact symptoms, some eye and health conditions need to be ruled out.

An ocular migraine has the same origin as typical migraine; it is caused by a blood vessel disturbance. There is an initial blood vessel constriction followed by a vessel dilation (widening). This can be caused by many things such as diabetes, high blood pressure, dehydra tion, and physical exertion. However, it is quite common that these “just happen.” It usually occurs without any triggers and happens when people are at work, watching TV, or driving. The visual aura that people usually see is similar but can be variable, and it can affect one or both eyes. Most patients report seeing bright or shimmering lights, zigzag lines, cloudy vision, tunnel vision, or feel like they’re looking through a kaleidoscope. Even though there is a wide range of visual imagery that people see, having a portion or all your vision go black is not typical. This could still be a visual migraine, but a full medical workup is necessary as this can also be a result of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or high cholesterol.

During the visual disturbance, your central vision usually is not compromised, but it could be a little blurry. These visual disturbances last anywhere from a few minutes to about 30 minutes. If there is continued decreased vision, floaters, flashes of light, red eyes, etc., then an ocular migraine is not the diagnosis. The symptoms go away as quickly as they came with no prolonged visual changes and have no lasting visual or ocular consequences. These can be followed by an actual migraine about one hour after the aura starts. It is possible to not get the headache, but it is more likely that a migraine follows the aura. Initially these can be very scary, and patients usually call the office to schedule a visit. This is advisable as there could be other causes and other conditions that need to be addressed depending on the symptoms, age, and medical history of the patient.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment for ocular migraines. However, I always recommend patients take their normal headache medications at the onset of the visual disturbances, since it is common to get an actual migraine about an hour after the onset of the visual aura. These headaches are usually severe and could last several hours. Taking Tylenol, Excedrin, etc. for the headache will not prevent it from coming, but it will blunt the severity. In addition, caffeine can help shorten the duration; drinking soda, tea, or coffee can also have some benefit in lessening the severity of an ocular migraine.

It is more common for normal migraine sufferers, women, and patients with diabetes, high blood pressure, and auto-immune diseases to get ocular migraines. There are no strong medical studies explaining the etiology of this condition. Even though there is no treatment, it is important to make sure that there is no medical reason for the ocular disturbances. The aura can easily be mistaken for symptoms of a retinal hole or detachment, stroke, or other neurological issues. Granted these conditions are rare, but they do happen. An office visit to go over your personal medical history, exact symptoms, and an eye evaluation will help differentiate an ocular migraine from other potentially sight-threatening conditions.

Dr. K. at Alamo Optometry is your hometown eye doctor for outstanding service, vision care, and designer eyewear. He can be reached at (925) 820-6622, or visit his office at 3201 Danville Blvd., Suite 165, in Alamo. For more information, visit our website at www.alamooptometry.com, and join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @Alamo Optometry. Advertorial

A DERMATOLOGIST’S SKIN CARE SECRETS

By Jerome Potozkin, MD

Have you ever wondered what dermatologists do to take care of their skin? This month I’m going to let you in on those secrets. At PotozkinMD Skin Care & Laser Center we have access to all the latest and greatest technological advances, injectables, and skin care products. That being said, my routine is pretty simple.

Lesson number one, the sun is not your friend.

When I was a medical student, I had the opportunity to do research in dermatology. Before that, I loved going out in the sun and had tanning contests with my friends. The dermatologist I worked for was appalled to hear this, and instilled in me why sun avoidance and sunscreen is so important. From my early twenties to this day I have used sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, every day. I make this task simple by applying a SPF 30 lotion after I shave.

I love the outdoors and don’t advocate staying inside. However, protective clothing, hats, sun-glasses, as well as sunscreen is necessary. Also, don’t forget to protect your lips and ears. These are two common locations for skin cancer. I use a SPF 30 lip balm and never forget to apply sunscreen to my ears as well. If you’re going outdoors, swap out the baseball cap for a wide-brimmed hat to shade your ears.

Lesson number two, avoid tanning beds.

Tanning beds increase your risk of developing skin cancer and will prematurely age your skin. Needing a “base tan” is myth. If you want the golden glow there are many great self-tanners available. You might wonder about Vitamin D? No need to worry, it is widely available in vitamin supplements.

Lesson number three, dermatologists don’t smoke.

Smoke significantly ages your skin and it has a negative impact on your skin’s healing properties. In addition to impacting your skin, smoking has many known adverse effects including heart disease, cancer, and stroke. If you’re a smoker, the single best thing you can do to impact your health is to quit.

Lesson number four, “hands off!”

It is best to keep your hands off of your face. When you touch your face you transfer dirt, germs, and other substances that you can react to. Avoid picking, popping, or squeezing zits as this can result in permanent scarring.

Lesson number five, get checked for skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. When skin cancer is detected early, it is almost always curable. I suggest checking over yourself once a month. If you notice any suspicious new spots that itch, bleed, change color, or are dark, brown, or pink, have them evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist. An annual skin check by a board-certified dermatologist is also a great idea.

Your skin is the largest organ of your body, take care of it.

If you have any questions or concerns, our team at PotozkinMD SkinCare and Laser Center is here to help.

Dr. Jerome Potozkin is a Board Certified Dermatologist and Board Certified Micrographic Dermatologic Surgeon specializing in minimally and non-invasive cosmetic procedures. The practice is accepting new patients and can be reached at (925) 838-4900 and www.MyBeautyMd.com. Advertorial

CPC SENIORS

CPC Seniors is a gathering of senior adults who like fellowship, to have fun, and to make new friends! The group meets in the multi-purpose room of Com munity Presbyterian Church (CPC) located at 222 W. El Pintado Rd., Danville, from 10:30AM – 12:30PM on the first and third Tuesdays, September to May.

Please join in! The first Tuesday of the month offers BINGO and prizes, while the third Tuesday of the month generally has a variety of presentations or entertainment. A delicious home-made lunch is provided for $4.

For more information, visit www.cpcdanville.org/seniors or call Cyndi Davi at 925-827-5525 x 418.